Electronic candle

Abstract

Methods, systems and devices associated with an electronic candle are described. In one example, an electronic candle comprises a housing having a through-hole at its top and a component shell. The component shell encloses a transfer mechanism including a driver motor and one or more gears positioned inside the component shell, a light emitting component coupled to the transfer mechanism such that the transfer mechanism causes the light emitting component to move vertically up or down to protrude from the housing or to retract into the housing, a lid positioned inside the component shell and movable to remain in at least one of an open configuration or a closed configuration, and a controller configured to turn on or off the light emitting component. The candle also includes a controller configured to turn on or off the light emitting component.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic candle, comprising:
 a housing having a through-hole at its top; 
 a component shell that encloses:
 a transfer mechanism including a driver motor and one or more gears positioned inside the component shell; 
 a light emitting component coupled to the transfer mechanism such that the transfer mechanism causes the light emitting component to move vertically up or down to protrude from the housing or to retract into the housing; 
 a lid positioned inside the component shell and movable to remain in at least one of an open configuration or a closed configuration, the lid comprising a reposition mechanism and two sections, wherein the reposition mechanism is located between an inner wall of the component shell and one of the two sections, the reposition mechanism being in a compressed state to retain the movable lid in the open configuration and to allow at least part of the light emitting component protrude from the housing, the reposition mechanism further configured to transition to a decompressed state to exert a force to at least one section of the lid to allow the two sections to come together to substantially close the through-hole; and 
 
 a controller configured to turn on or off the light emitting component. 
 
     
     
       2. The electronic candle of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a wick component coupled to the lid, wherein the wick component is configured to retract into the housing in the open configuration and to protrude from the housing in the closed configuration. 
 
     
     
       3. The electronic candle of  claim 2 , wherein the wick component includes a dark section. 
     
     
       4. The electronic candle of  claim 1 , wherein the lid includes a position limiting pole attached to a second end of the reposition mechanism. 
     
     
       5. The electronic candle of  claim 1 , wherein each of the two sections of the lid includes a groove to form an opening upon the two sections of the lid coming together in the closed configuration, the opening configured to allow a wick to protrude upward from the opening. 
     
     
       6. The electronic candle of  claim 1 , wherein the light emitting component includes a flame sheet that resembles a real candle flame. 
     
     
       7. The electronic candle of  claim 6 , wherein the light emitting component includes one or more light sources to illuminate the flame sheet. 
     
     
       8. The electronic candle of  claim 1 , wherein the transfer mechanism includes a gearwheel and a gear rack, the gear rack coupled to the light emitting component to cause the light emitting component to move vertically up or down. 
     
     
       9. The electronic candle of  claim 8 , wherein the gearwheel is the only gearwheel in the transfer mechanism. 
     
     
       10. The electronic candle of  claim 8 , wherein the transfer mechanism further comprises a plate, wherein the gearwheel and the gear rack are secured against the plate. 
     
     
       11. The electronic candle of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a sound sensor positioned inside the housing and coupled to the controller, the sound sensor configured to receive an external sound signal and to produce an electrical signal based on the received sound signal, wherein an operation of the electronic candle is controlled in response to the electrical signal. 
 
     
     
       12. The electronic candle of  claim 11 , wherein the sound sensor is positioned inside the light emitting component. 
     
     
       13. The electronic candle of  claim 11 , wherein the sound sensor includes a microphone. 
     
     
       14. The electronic candle of  claim 11 , wherein the operation includes turning on or off the electronic candle. 
     
     
       15. The electronic candle of  claim 1 , wherein the light emitting component includes at least one light source that is configured to project light onto a flame element when the flame element is positioned to protrude from the housing, and to turn off the projected light when the flame element is not protruding from the housing. 
     
     
       16. The electronic candle of  claim 1 , wherein the light emitting component further includes a lens positioned to receive light from the at least one light source and to redirect the received light onto the flame element when the flame element is positioned to protrude from the housing. 
     
     
       17. The electronic candle of  claim 1 , wherein the component shell and enclosed components thereof are adapted to fit in electrical candles having different heights. 
     
     
       18. The electronic candle of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a sensor positioned below a top surface of the housing to detect a change in capacitance, wherein the controller is configured to receive a signal from the sensor based on the detected change in capacitance and to control a functionally of the candle according to the signal. 
 
     
     
       19. The electronic candle of  claim 18 , wherein the sensor includes a capacitive sensor. 
     
     
       20. The electronic candle of  claim 18 , wherein the light emitting component comprises a flame element and one or more light sources to illuminate the flame element, and
 wherein, upon detecting the change in capacitance, the signal triggers (1) the flame element to be retracted into the housing and the one or more light sources to be turned off, or (2) the flame element to protrude from the housing and the one or more light sources to be turned on.